


Snow

by audreyslove



Series: Family [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-12 13:17:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13548123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/audreyslove/pseuds/audreyslove
Summary: Regina's daughter falls sick and she turns to Snow to help.





	Snow

It's odd, how comfortable and natural being a mother comes to Regina. Snow knows she shouldn't be surprised, she is a natural with Henry, she's a great… something to Neal (godparent? Grandmother?), and then there the connection Regina has with Roland, the affection she showed him almost immediately — undoubtedly her natural love for the boy is what made her closer to Robin during their early relationship, and it strengthened their reconciliation every time each time Regina and Robin were reunited after being pulled apart.

Regina is a natural parent, she develops wonderful bonds with children. With all children, it seemed, except for Snow herself.

Snow knows, realistically, why things had been different with her. It's hard to take on the role of a mother at eighteen, especially to a ten year old, and it is understandable that she couldn't love her then. Regina couldn't love her as the young queen, not when her heart had been freshly shattered and her mind had been corrupted with thoughts of revenge. Regina couldn't love her then and be the amazing mother she was clearly born to be when she was forced into a loveless marriage to a man who never cared about her happiness or comfort. She couldn't love her then when Snow unintentionally caused her so much immeasurable pain.

But now, Regina has changed, she's no longer the bitter woman she once was.  Regina does not blame Eliza for any of the pain she unintentionally caused. Eliza, who's biological mother was as terrible and threatening to Regina as Snow's father had ever been. Eliza, whose very existence tied Regina's soulmate to a dangerous witch. Eliza, the reason Zelena could not be fought in Camelot, the reason they had to go to the underworld, the reason Regina had to face her old demons, the reason Regina still has nightmares, even —  if what Henry tells Snow is true.

Regina doesn't hold even a single negative thought towards Eliza, instead, she only loves her. Loves her, purely and innocently and obviously. It's a blatant, selfless, overwhelming, in-your-face kind of love, and Snow would be lying if she wasn't a bit jealous.

They have come a long way since Regina had tried to kill her, since Regina had dedicated her life to destroying Snow’s happiness, a long way since Regina viewed her as the reason to all her misery. Snow knows Regina cares for her, now. But it’s not the type of love she has for her children.  It’s almost as if Regina wishes she didn’t care for Snow at all. As if Regina was ashamed of herself for feeling it. Regina loves her with rolled eyes and sarcastic comments. She loves Snow with a stolen, heartfelt looks that were few and far between and always covered up immediately.

It shouldn't bother Snow. She knows Regina's heart. She shouldn't need the extra validation from a woman who has already put her life on the line for her wellbeing on several occasions. But still, Snow watches Regina with Eliza and feels herself reverting back to that ten year old child who always felt unworthy of Regina's affection, for reasons she couldn't quite understand at the time. And part of her wishes she could experience the type of love Regina shows Eliza, even if it's utterly pathetic to be jealous of an infant.

She curses herself for being so envious when she receives a call from Regina one spring day.

She sounds uncharacteristically frantic, very unlike the mayor, and it surprises her. "Snow, are you able to watch Roland for me? Robin's at work and I need to take Eliza to a doctor… emergency room… it's urgent."

There are a thousand questions Snow has but she knows questions aren't what Regina needs right now.

"I'm on my way." 

She's over not 7 minutes later. Regina opens the door the second she parks her car, Eliza already in her carseat. "Roland's watching TV. Cook whatever you like for lunch – there's money on the table if you want to order a pizza. Henry is out with Emma, they should be home soon. He can watch Roland at that point if I'm not back."

"Regina, what's wrong with her?" Snow asks, getting Neal out of his car seat. 

"Don't let Neal get too close to us and wipe down every surface,  _ please _ .  I don’t know what this is. She's got a really high fever, won't take any fluids, all she wants to do is sleep." Regina looks down at the sleeping baby, "I prefer my sick babies screaming and inconsolable. This concerns me."

Snow cannot agree more. "Keep me updated, Regina. Let me know if you need anything." Regina barely acknowledges her as she leaves the house, baby in hand.

Snow does not hear from Regina for another two hours.  It’s two hours of coloring and watching Roland play video games, of telling herself not to worry, reminding herself that Regina is a powerful sorceress who, if need be, will come up with a cure for whatever is ailing Eliza. It's two hours of assuring herself everything will be okay until Regina calls her.

"Bacterial pneumonia," she says a soon as Snow answers the phone. "It came fast, made her lethargic and dehydrated. She was sleeping a lot before her fever spiked, so we didn't notice it because she wasn't crying. But she's being treated now and they are giving her fluids."

"Thank god,” breathed Snow. "Roland has been asking for you. What should I tell him?"

"Could you—could you bring him to the hospital so we can explain ourselves?"

Of course she can.

Robin is already there when Snow arrives with a confused and angry Roland, who demands to see his baby sister, because she doesn't like hospitals, and as the big brother, he knows this for a fact. Robin takes him aside, leaving Regina with Snow and Neal in the hallways of the hospital ward.

"Are you ok, Regina?"

She doesn't look well. In fact, her eyes are red and wet, and Snow is fairly certain Regina’s been crying, but of course she won't admit to being a wreck, she won't admit to anything that makes her look weak.

"I'm fine," Regina says, "I bit tired, it was hectic there for a second. It's a strong strain of pneumonia, she was so dehydrated so quickly. She was sniffling yesterday but we didn't think much of it. When I find out which idiot came over to our house sick and gave this to her… that person is going to wish I would kill them."

Snow laughs, covering her hand over Regina's with a soft squeeze. "But she's going to be okay?"

As Regina nodded. "Thank goodness for modern medicine. I'd rather not relive illnesses in the  Was Enchanted Forest—  like that one you had."

Snow has no memories of any significant illness in her entire childhood. "What are you talking about? Illness?"

Regina rolls her eyes. "You don't remember? Less than six months into my marriage, you fell ill. You were out of it for nearly a month. Nearly died. It was an infection of some sort, the healers were utterly useless. The magic I had learned up to that point proved useless too."

Snow searches her mind until she recalls a memory of being in an all-white room, healers in and out of the room, but it's faint, fuzzy, as if she can’t separate it from a dream.

Regina sighs. "I hated you, wanted you to suffer for what you did to me, I couldn't help but believe I had caused it to happen." She laughs then, a dark laugh, "I didn't want you to die, I hadn't enough lessons with Rumple to make peace with being a murderer." She's looking down at her pants now, smoothing invisible wrinkles (or is it brushing off invisible crumbs?) up and down her thighs. "You terrified me. I spent most of Henry's young life watching for signs of whatever hell you had, but he was always healthy. When this happened to Eliza I couldn't help but think she had what you had. But she's going to be okay. There are antibiotics here, and IV fluids. Better than any magical potion, because we already know the side effects. Magic was too unpredictable."

Snow is clinging on to the few memories she can pick out in her mind. "It's weird, I can't remember much at all about that time….I had completely forgotten about it."

"You were unconscious for much of it.  Or in terrible pain. It's good you don't remember." Regina shrugs, "I wish I didn't remember it, to be honest. To have to go through that again would be the worst type of torture. But I was able to mix some sort of potion that seemed to help – it wasn't a cure though. I'm sure I'd have been able to spare you much more pain if Rumple had ever bothered to teach me healing magic."

"You cared about me." Snow flashes her wry smile.

Regina sighs. "Of course I did, you idiot. Did you not listen to the story?"

"You loved me." She presses on.

Regina gives a very characteristic role again. "I spent years trying to kill you, remember that."

"You also saved my life, apparently."

"I was an idiot teenager."

_ A teenager, _ Snow thinks. A teenager with an abusive mother, a powerless father, a teenager turned into queen and a mother and wife. A teenager who at least at one point, despite everything, took her role as a mother very seriously.

"I love you too, Regina."

Maybe Regina can only bare to show her love in this way, but it is unique and special in its own right, and so there is no need to be jealous of Eliza anymore. She smiles at Regina, who for a moment, looks at a loss for words. But that moment passes quickly.

"Shut up, Snow."


End file.
